THE SHRUB MONTH?

To start, a curiosity? The ability of willow, or in this case sallow, to regenerate itself is astonishing. After the sallow was cut back its branches were stripped and used as edging for the chipping path. There are no roots but it is sprouting.

The garden is very dry and bare cracked patches have appeared in the grass. I have watered but not excessively for that has been some dew in the morning. One exception is the sweet peas and they are still alive! This is most unusual for me, normally they are dead and eaten by now. The chives that line the path in the veg garden are, however, flowering profusely. Not what we really want as the flowering stems are stiff and hard, not pleasant to eat. (You can eat the flowers though.)

So, what is doing well?

The Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud', the beauty bush is a waterfall of pink next to the dark tumble of Physocarpus opulifolius 'Lady in Red'.

Other shrubs in flower include R's Daisy Bush near the cattle grid.

and our white lilac - the other lilacs are now their disappointing post blossoming brown.

We do have flowers too - the yellow climbing rose and many geraniums, my favourite is this white one.

There are also successful partnerships - catmint and the cultivated alchemilla. The colours enhance one another.

More shrubs, the hebe which I thought had been killed by The Beast from the East is covered. At the top banking the Rosa rugosa hedge has finally grown enough for its purpose.

 

Elsewhere the woodland still is full of red campion and the rather unsuccessful wild flower meadow has, at least, some yellow rattle. It will take a few years I think. I could have used weed killer to get rid of all the grass but having seen that done by local farmers to create a monoculture of silage grass (and the disappearance of the curlews) I will not. 

This is the plant my mother loved and grew in Coniston is wonderful - the Crambe, now divided and in two sites.

Time to get out the hosepipe, watering can and try and counteract the drought. Have just done the veg beds and, yes, we have one flower on one of the sweet peas!